The present invention relates to automobile repair hardware and more particularly to a unique portable kit assembly for straightening and repairing automobile bodies, particularly those of the unitized body type.
A large number of various types of automobile straightening devices are known in the prior art. For the most part, these past devices have proven cumbersome, and difficult to manufacture, assemble, use and store. A number of these devices have created problems in causing additional damage in fastening to the automobile body to be repaired and much of the equipment used for repair, not only has required substantial tooling and material expenses in manufacture and assembly, but has interfered with access to the parts to be repaired and has been difficult to secure relative parts to be repaired. More recent devices, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,951, issued to James D. Grainger et al on Dec. 16, 1980 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,532, issued to Fred D. Covington on Aug. 4, 1981 have taught automobile straightening assemblies which allow for telescopic adjustment to accommodate for various types of automobiles. However, these structures have had many of the past limitations, including requirements for numerous parts in manufacture and assembly and the disadvantages of limited accessibility to the parts to be repaired. Moreover, past devices, including those more recent devices noted above, have been limited in the interchangeability of the several parts and thus have been limited in their capability to perform various repair operations. Although such patents as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,909,023, issued to R. Stutz on May 16, 1933; 2,814,099, issued to D. M. Knittel on Nov. 26, 1957; 4,519,236, issued to G. Celette; and, 4,560,131, issued to L. F. Eck on Dec. 24, 1985, teach various arrangements which include a tripod or portable quadripod screw threaded jack assembly with a clamping member screwed thereon and although other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,777, issued to W. Mojelski on Dec. 5, 1967; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,159, issued to D. R. Jarmin et al on July 3, 1984, teach tensioning and camming actuated clamp arrangements, none of these patents teaches the unique universal and interchangeable automobile repair hardware as taught herein which novel hardware can be readily useful either alone or in combination with a novel straightening tool.
In accordance with the teachings herein, a portable kit assembly for straightening automobiles is provided which includes among the cooperatively related several parts of the kit a novel adjustable straightening mechanism, a novel mobile transport storage cart, and novel clamp, jack and chain tensioning arrangements therefor. The selectively combined several parts of the inventive kit assembly allow for versatile adjustability, accessibility and interchangeability. The kit assembly is straightforward, comparatively light in weight, yet economical in manufacture, assembly and operation, is serviceable with a minimum of maintenance and is readily storable when not in use.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.